HFC won 2-1 with Javi Siverio scoring twice in the second half

Hyderabad: Hyderabad FC got some crucial minutes under their belt as they beat SC Bengaluru 2-1 at the Gaudium School on Saturday.

Javi Siverio (70’ & 82’) came off the bench to score twice as Hyderabad came back from a goal down to kick off their pre-season with a morale-boosting win.

In what was the first pre-season friendly for HFC, Manolo Marquez named an all-Indian side, captained by Nikhil Poojary, who took on the Bengaluru-based club in a hard-fought contest.

The visitors started off well, finding the back of the net from a corner, just eight minutes in. For Hyderabad, the likes of Halicharan Narzary, Akash Mishra, Sweden Fernandes, Mohammad Yasir, Hitesh Sharma and Aaren D’Silva all came close on a few occasions in the half.

The centre-back pairing of Nim Dorjee Tamang and Alex Saji supported by Sahil Tavora holding just in front, showed loads of promise, keeping a testing SC Bengaluru attack at bay but Hyderabad went into the break a goal down.

🙌 Here’s thanking SC Bengaluru for the friendly and wishing them the very best for the new season!#మనహైదరాబాద్ #HyderabadFC 💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/oVoAMfLQw8

— Hyderabad FC (@HydFCOfficial) August 13, 2022

The HFC boss ringed in the changes for the restart, with Abdul Rabeeh, Lalchungnunga Chhangte, Manoj Mohammad and Mark Zothanpuia coming on at halftime.

Javi Siverio also came on to take the armband along with Borja Herrera, who was ready to play his first game in Hyderabad colours.

Aman Kumar Sahani also got his chance as he replaced Lalbiakhlua Jongte on goal for the last half-hour as Hyderabad pushed for an equalizer.

Helped by crosses from all over the wings, HFC constantly tested the SC Bengaluru keeper but it was Siverio who scored a thumping header from a Borja Herrera corner in the 71^st minute to get his team back on level terms.

He added a second, just twelve minutes later, this time finishing off a perfectly timed through ball, again from Borja.

New faces Alex Saji, Lalchungnunga Chhangte and Borja Herrera all had an impact on the game coming off the bench and Manolo’s men now have a few minutes under their belt as they look to get back to their best soon, with the first game of the new season, less than two weeks away.